RLA Pastor's blog

Words are powerful. Words from the Word are especially powerful. John 14:19 contains a statement from Jesus that is a real game-changer, “Because I live, you will live also.”

The context of that statement is the Lord’s Upper Room talk with His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion. The chapter begins with these comforting words, “Let not your heart be troubled.” Jesus then gave several reasons why His disciples could remain calm in spite of the outward circumstances that would soon come upon them. Among the reasons Jesus gave are these --

“Let not your heart be troubled…I go to prepare a place for you” (v2)

“Let not your heart be troubled…I will come again and receive you” (v3)

“Let not your heart be troubled…I am the way, the truth, and the life” (v6)

“Let not your heart be troubled…If you ask anything in My name I will do it” (vv13-14)

“Let not your heart be troubled…I will pray the Father and He will give you another Helper” (vv16-18)

As wonderful as these promises are, I believe the most meaningful is this, “Let not your heart be troubled…because I live, you will live also” (v19). The fact that Jesus lives has implications for those who believe in Him.

The obvious application here is eternal life. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the guarantee that death is not the end for the believer. A few chapters earlier while standing at the grave of Lazarus who would soon be raised from the dead, Jesus promised Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).

Thank God for the promise of eternal life. But I believe John 14:19 can be applied to life here and now. Along with eternal life, Jesus grants the gift of abundant life. He said so in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus died and rose again so we could do more than exist, endure, survive, or manage. He came so we could LIVE!

An example is seen in the contrast between the ungodly line of Cain (Genesis 4:16-24), and the godly line of Seth (Genesis 5:1-32). The Bible tells of the many things the descendants of Cain did. Read the passage, and you will find they did a lot. In spite of this, the word “live” is never attributed to any of them. Yet the Holy Spirit says of each descendant of Seth that “he lived.”

It’s possible to go through life doing a lot of stuff and yet never really live in the fullest sense of the word. To know Jesus is life. To understand His will and embrace His purposes, now that is living! To lift your eyes above the earthly to the heavenly, the carnal to the spiritual, the temporal to the eternal, the meaningless to the meaningful, that’s what an abundant life is about.​

Don’t merely exist when you can live. If life has become boringly predictable, an exercise in mediocrity, renew your connection with Jesus Christ. Because He lives, you will live also!